The blade and holder set up is very rigid, minimising any risk of vibration when cutting. The shank of the holder clamps into the lathe’s tool post. The hardened and tempered holder bodies are available in a range of sizes to suit many makes of lathe. Spare blades are readily available. The blades are ideal for parting off and grooving and similar operations. The greater amount of clearance on each side of the blade reduces friction and therefore heat generated when cutting. The narrow design wastes less material. The fluted cross section of the tip of these blades produces a chip narrower than the blade. The blades are M-35 HSS with 5% cobalt, the cobalt content gives them much higher wear and heat resistance.